Why Chatbots will continue to be a buzzword

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the most talked about technology. The intricate network of algorithms that constitutes AI, has paved the way for smart chatbots and speakers. As it evolves rapidly, it will weave itself into our daily lives gradually. AI's transformation has already begun with chatbots making headway into marketing and client servicing. Brands are now embracing the power of chatbots to shift the way their consumers interact with them. And this trend will continue to grow not only this year but also in the near future.

How are chatbots efficient?

A chatbot is a series of algorithms, softwares and programs which automate certain tasks by talking to the user. AI-powered chatbots have advanced algorithms which are capable of Natural Language Processing (NLP). These bots can understand human responses and adapt as they learn over a period of time. An example of an AI-enabled chatbot would be Cleverbot. One of the world's most famous conversational chatbots, Cleverbot can carry out a conversation with success and manages to register as 59.3% human on the Turing test. Google’s AI AphaZero taught itself chess in mere four hours and beat the world’s smartest chess-playing computer program at the game. Such smart bots are now being developed to carry out conversations with the end user on behalf of brands and HRs worldwide.

Why are brands developing chatbots?

Human interactions have now gone digital and brands have followed suit. Texting has become the preferred mode of communication. According to a study, over 60 million messages are sent over messaging application Whatsapp daily. Thus, given the world now invests most of their time in texting, brands are looking to use texting channels and chatbots to reach out to customers. Brands are now looking to integrate AI-chatbots into their marketing strategy, use it as a client servicing tool on their digital platforms as well as to recruit people.

Chatbots are now making their way as an essential arsenal in every brand's marketing strategy. With over 1.2 billion active users on Facebook's Messenger, the platform has opened itself to welcome chatbots.

This provides brands access to create Messenger bots which communicate directly with its customers, solving their queries, taking their orders and promoting the brand's products. Moreover, according to a HubSpot report, 71% of people are willing to use messaging apps to get assistance from brands.

An example of how successful chatbots can be was demonstrated by pizza chain Dominoes with their bot on Messenger in Australia called Dom the Pizza bot. All users have to do was connect with the bot and they can order pizza with a few texts. The ease of placing an order has helped elevate the brand's Customer Experience (CX). Similarly, several brands have used Messenger bots to target customers directly.

An alternative way chatbots have found their way into the core of brand value is by occupying a spot on company websites and apps. Chatbots have become a part of UX and are becoming the users' companion on their journey. Assistant bots guide the user throughout his journey and aid in ensuring they complete it. If a user has a question, they don't have to deviate from their journey to check out the FAQ section to solve their query. They can simply ask the assistant chatbot.

Additionally, here are a few more benefits of having AI-chatbots for your brand:

- Chatbots are more cost-effective and efficient than client servicing call centers.

- Chatbots evolve and get smarter about your customer and his needs, communicating them clearly to the brand. They provide user insight which can help make CX better.

- Chatbots are on the same channels as the users and communicate in a medium they prefer. Therefore, they have an ability to generate leads.

- Assistant Chatbots are an addition to the UX of your digital platforms to make them more engaging.

- With evolving technology chatbots are getting easier to develop.

The future of chatbots

Artificial Intelligence has become an area of focus for the biggest tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Google. As AI becomes astute in communicating with humans by developing Natural Language Processing (NLP), which is the ability for algorithms to comprehend and process large amounts of human data, chatbots will get smarter. Moreover, according to a statistic by Gartner, 85% of customer relationships will amount to AI. That is why Chatbots are here to stay for a long time. They will not be a trend which will fade over time. They will continue to be a buzzword, especially in marketing, over the course of the near future, eventually altering the marketing industry.

Want to know how chatbots can get your brand buzzing? Find out more here